Blow The Cobwebs
by m.cuthbert
Summary: Series 4 has always been my favourite. From "people don't know" to "blow the cobwebs" there are plenty of Robson moments to enjoy. This story started out as a gentle stroll through those episodes from Laura's point of view. But somewhere along the way I lost the plot, so you've got this instead. Enjoy... I still don't own these people, I just like changing their plans.
1. Blow The Cobwebs

As she turned away from Alec and walked towards Robbie, Laura couldn't help but consider the symbolism. Alec was part of her past, Robbie, hopefully, her future. Forced to take compassionate leave, she'd had a lot of time to think since that horrible night. And most of those thoughts had centered around Robbie. She had expected to see him before today but he'd stayed away. Ashamed of his actions? Or afraid of her reaction? She wasn't sure, but something had kept him from her. But that ended today. Her thoughts had opened her eyes to a few things, and life was too short not to act on them - recent events had made that abundantly clear.

After she'd been given a once over by the hospital, and her statement had been taken, Laura had gone to stay with a friend, spending her days at the hospital as Ellen recovered. But her nights were spent reliving the last few days. Not the abduction, or the feeling of soil raining down on her (although they did come to her in her sleep; waking her up, her screams caught at the back of her throat) but those moments spent with Robbie. When he'd sat in front of her, in her own home, saying _its procedure_ , she'd been devastated. It took everything in her not to ask Robbie outright if she meant nothing to him. She'd held herself together, barely lasting until she heard the front door close behind them before she broke down. Tears of hurt and anger pouring down her face as Ellen held her. But in those nights after it was over, she could see the apology on his face, could see his plea for understanding. James had filled her in on just how much Robbie had resisted doubting her, how long he had put off taking an official statement. It was only when James had shown him her name in those hospital records that he had succumbed and said _bring her in._ By the time Laura had come to terms with Robbie's actions, she'd also understood her own.

In recent months they'd grown closer. Sharing shy smiles as their eyes met, enjoying little touches that lingered. Her _people don't know how you feel, unless you tell them_ had been as much about her as it was about James, a gentle nudge that was meant to tell him she was ready to hear what he had to say. It had worked to some extent. He'd come to her a few weeks later and mentioned the opera tickets, blushing as he asked if she minded staying overnight. That's when she realised he wanted them to take that first step away from Oxford. Away from prying eyes and memories, somewhere that they could just be themselves. That weekend hadn't happened, but it had given her hope. The smile on his face when she'd replied _I'm happy about that_ had shown her how much she meant to him. Her own reaction to Robbie's questions had shown her how much Robbie meant to her. Somewhere along the way she'd fallen in love. She'd been so hurt because instead of sharing words of love, they were sharing doubt and suspicions. She had later avoided answering his _there's nothing else I need to know,_ getting in her car to drive away because she was too ashamed to tell him of a drunken night spent with Alec, too unsure now of their feelings to let him in on a secret she'd never told anyone. On the day of Ligeia's funeral, Laura had made a decision. No more messing about. She needed to know how Robbie felt, needed to tell him how she felt.

As they walked away from the funeral, Laura linked her arm through Robbie's, pulling him closer. It felt good to have him close again. She'd missed Robbie's support, he'd always been there for her, ever since he'd returned from the BVI. They had gotten into the habit of being together after difficult cases, either in a pub or at home with takeout. She talked to him when things went wrong and he sought her out when James or Innocent wound him up. They just always knew what the other needed. He'd turned up at her house after Dr Ransome had been shot, sitting with her as she talked about anything but the woman dying in her arms. Eventually she'd turned into him, tears in her eyes saying "I felt so useless, I'm a doctor and I couldn't help her". He had held her as she cried, giving her his handkerchief when she'd calmed enough to lean away from him apologising. That thought reminded her - "I still have your handkerchief, from in the ambulance that night", "that's OK, I have another" he said, smiling as he reached into his jacket, pulling out the edge of another carefully folded square of white cotton to prove it. "Good, we might need it" she said "we need to talk".

Laura watched the smile fade from Robbie's face. He turned away, looking at the path in front of them. "Can we sit? There's a bench up there". She nodded her agreement, her fingers tightening on his arm as they approached the bench. Robbie put his hand out, inviting her to sit first, before sitting alongside her. Laura could see he was anxious, his hands pressing into his thighs as he waited for her to start talking. "I'm sorry" she said "you were doing your job, and I took it personally, I should have.." Laura stopped talking as Robbie's head spun around to face her, his face contorted with some emotion she couldn't decipher "no, don't you dare apologise" he almost shouted the words at her, continuing with "its all my fault, I shouldn't have asked you, you deserved my support and instead I treated you like a suspect... I'd give anything not to have put that look on your face", he paused "I should have taken myself off the case, should have stayed by your side, maybe I could have stopped them..." he stood up, taking a couple of steps away before spinning back round "I should have stopped them". Laura saw the fear on his face, knew he was thinking about how close he had come to losing her. " Robbie," she held out her hand "come here, sit down". Reluctantly he moved closer. Taking her hand before sitting down alongside her. "Why did you stay on the case?" Laura asked. "Because I would have had to say I was too close," he looked down before adding "it didn't seem right to tell Innocent how much you meant - mean - to me, before telling you". Despite their serious conversation Laura couldn't help but smile, shaking her head as she pictured Robbie having that conversation with Jean. Knowing her, she would probably have said something like "its about time".

"Its OK Robbie," Laura tugged their hands onto her lap "James came to see me. He explained your side of things, made me realise you were always on my side. At least until you saw my name in black and white." "I felt so betrayed" said Robbie "like I didn't really know you at all. And then, when we realised what had happened..." Laura interrupted him "you mean when you realised and explained it to everyone else". Robbie shook his head "it doesn't matter how we knew, what mattered was that I was wrong. It was me who had betrayed you, by not trusting you I let you down." "Is that why you didn't call?" Laura asked "Did you think I wouldn't answer?". Robbie looked away, rubbing a hand over his face "I kept seeing that look on your face. It felt like I'd lost you even before they took you. How could you forgive me, why should you forgive me?" "And yet you waited for me at the funeral, weren't you worried about what I wanted to say?". Robbie smiled at her "James came to see me too". "Of course he did" said Laura, eyes twinkling as she added "he is the brains obviously". It took a second or two, and then Robbie burst out laughing. Finally letting go of her hand, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight against him as she laughed with him.

It felt good to laugh, but Laura still had a final question to ask. She leant into his shoulder, taking a deep breath she said "why didn't you pull me out?" She felt Robbie tighten his grip, heard his voice breaking as he remembered that night. "I couldn't let them get away. You would never be safe - they believed it was your fault, and they would have tried again. I'd seen what they were capable of Laura, I had to stop them." Laura shifted, turned more towards him "But knowing what they were capable of, you still followed them into the dark, on your own. You could have gone over that balcony..." that thought had tears filling Laura's eyes as she looked at him. "But I didn't. I'm still here". Laura felt Robbie shift, his arm slipping down around her, and she allowed him to pull her against his chest. James had read Robbie's report, and told Laura what had happened. The knowledge now that he could have died because he wanted to keep her safe had her hand fisting in his shirt as she pressed her head against his heart. For the first time out loud she admitted "I was so scared Robbie..."" Oh Laura" he said as he laid his head on hers "its ok, I've got you". The combination of his words, his arm around her and his hand moving to cover hers made her feel safe, really safe for the first time in so long, and she relaxed her grip closing her eyes.

They sat for a moment or two, before she heard Robbie ask "would we have handled this differently if we'd gone away that weekend?" Laura laughed "well, I doubt you would have needed to ask for my alibi for the night the girl was killed..." she tilted her head back to see Robbie smiling down at her. "You mean we would have only needed one room?" Laura felt a need to tease saying "maybe not then," and she watched his smile start to fade before adding "but definitely by now". Their eyes caught, held, as a whole conversation was spoken without words. As Laura contemplated her next move, Robbie beat her to it. She felt his lips take hers, gave herself up to feel and taste of him. She moaned in pleasure as her fingers fisted in his shirt once more - not in fear this time but to hold on as he swept her away. When they finally broke apart, she saw Robbie's smile grow, then he echoed her comment from that bank holiday weekend "Damn".


	2. Swept Away

So Laura's story still doesn't want to be written, but Robbie's version of Blow The Cobwebs did.

* * *

Robbie lay in his bed, amazed at the difference a day could make. Yesterday, if anyone had asked, he would have said he was sure that he'd blown his chance with Laura. Tonight, he was sure he was dreaming as she lay against him, her head and arm resting on his chest. As he let his hand trail slowly up and down her back, he let his mind drift to earlier that day. They had talked for the first time since that fateful night. He remembered his anguish as Laura tried to apologise to him, and he was pleased that he had been quick to stop her. None of this had been her fault and yet there she was trying to take the blame. The look on her face as she'd said James was the brains had finally erased the memory of how she'd looked when he asked for her alibi. As he recognised the phrase, he'd laughed and pulled her close, realising just how much he loved her smile and her sense of humour. As he lay in bed, he realised something else too. He loved her.

Laura had been there when he returned to Oxford. Keeping him anchored in the present when memories threatened to pull him back into the past. Over time they had gradually become each others best friend. Knowing which cases needed loud nights out in the pub, and which needed quiet nights in. There had been moments over the years where he had imagined Laura's touch or comments were a sign of something more, but alone in his flat afterwards he would always convince himself he was wrong - what could she possibly see in him? That was until she said "people don't know how you feel unless you tell them" and followed it with that look. He could have doubted one or the other, but both together made it clear - she wanted to know how he felt. He had thought long and hard before buying the opera tickets. He had wanted to go somewhere new, do something different, away from people who knew them. He had been so relieved when Laura had said yes, and had been looking forward to their weekend away. They had both been disappointed when murder changed their plans but maybe the simplicity of chips on the bench was more his style.

He was brought back to the present as Laura whimpered, her hand clenching as she pushed against him, as she fought against her dreams. Robbie rolled slightly sideways so he could wrap both arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest even as she struggled. He talked softly to her, saying "its ok, I've got you" over and over until he felt her body relax into him. He heard and felt the deep breath she took, before she said "you're here, you saved me". Under the relief in her voice, Robbie could sense the fear lingering from her dream and it took all his strength to stay relaxed against her, saying "I always will" when he really wanted to shout, to lash out at those who had caused this. Laura was always so sure of herself, so feisty that he was constantly surprised by how small she was when they stood side by side. He'd seen her reduce burly detectives to small boys with her temper or sarcastic wit, and yet twice today she had pressed into him to feel safe. He wanted to say more to her, but he could feel her breathing settle as sleep claimed her once again so he kept quiet, he could wait.

James had waited today too. He had waited in The Trout, while they had blown the cobwebs away. Laura had suggested that they keep their changed relationship to themselves, letting them carry on working together without colleagues watching their every glance and touch. Robbie would have agreed to anything to keep that smile on Laura's face. So when they both entered the pub, and joined James they had acted normally, but James was the brains, and Robbie had watched as he put it together. Eventually, when Laura was away from their table, James had just grinned at him saying "I said you were good together!" The three of them had shared a simple lunch and Robbie figured James had needed their easy, teasing conversation just as much as he and Laura had needed their more serious talk earlier. Jumping into a grave to rescue someone being buried alive was bad enough, adding guilt to the equation because you'd doubted that persons integrity would make dealing with it harder still. They had all needed to put this case behind them. Eventually James had left them, saying he had plans, but Robbie knew he hadn't. Laura must have seen through his excuse too because she got up to kiss his cheek before he left, saying "thanks for talking him round".

They had spent the rest of the day together. With no plans they had simply enjoyed being close again. Eventually they had ended up back here, in his flat. Time had passed as they talked, kissed and talked some more. Robbie lay there amazed at how right it had felt. It was almost like nothing had changed, and yet everything had. He thought back over the kisses they'd shared, and how each time he had been the one to ease back when they were getting swept away. Until Laura had lost her patience. "What the hell, Robbie?" she had said. "I want you, and I can tell you want me", to prove how she knew, she had pressed herself firmly against him "so why do you keep backing off?" He remembered his struggle to explain "you've had a rough time, I don't want it to be why we end up in bed..." She had let him go, eyes sparking as she stepped away from him "so you think I want sex just because I've had a bad day? How dare you..." He had just about fallen over himself, pulling her back against him saying "god no, that's not what I meant. Its just that I feel like we've missed a few steps. If this hadn't happened we would have gone out, rearranged our weekend away. I want us to end up in bed because its the right time, not because circumstances have rushed us into it. I don't want to miss out on any part of this". Laura had looked up at him, raising her hands to his shoulders "oh Robbie, we haven't missed anything. How many times have you taken me out? How often have we shared good or bad times? You're my first call, and I know I'm yours. We were together before today, we just hadn't realised it". She had pulled herself up onto her toes and he had to close his eyes as he took in both her words and the feeling of her body sliding over his. He'd still wanted to ask, to make sure this was what she really wanted. Taking a deep breath he had opened his eyes, but was rendered speechless by the look in Laura's. Just like earlier on the bench, he stopped thinking and just acted.

That kiss had been the starting point. Neither of them holding anything back had their hands rushing to touch, tugging on clothes, fumbling with buttons and zips. They'd bumped into furniture, tripped over each others feet as they tried to make it to the bedroom without breaking apart. In the hallway, they'd been lucky to end up falling against the wall instead of to the floor. Robbie had sworn as he pushed off the wall, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her to his room. They had fallen onto his bed, the need to have nothing between them had them reaching for the last pieces of clothing. Despite the urgency, as they undressed they had found time to laugh as fingers found ticklish places, found time to tease as mouths found pleasure points, building their desire until at last he had slipped inside her.

Robbie took a deep breath as he remembered that moment, remembered how everything had seemed to stop. Laura had looked up at him, eyes full of desire and he had realised how much he meant to her. Her words from earlier tugged at his subconscious, and lowering his head he had pleaded "say it again". For a moment Laura had looked confused, then she smiled, her hands moving to frame his face. The possessive tone of her voice was sweetened by the adoration on her face as she said "I'm yours, and I know you're mine".

Afterwards, Laura had sprawled across him, falling asleep as they lay recovering. Robbie's mind had been too busy to drift off. Thinking about today, and all they'd been through over the years. Laura was right - this wasn't new. He had been falling for her all along. Every look, every touch, all that time spent together had led him to this moment. He loved her. Lying there, with her wrapped up in his arms he made a decision. No more messing about. He needed to tell her how he felt, needed to hear how she felt. Robbie gently tightened his hold, he couldn't wait for Laura to wake up, he had to say it out loud right now "I love you Laura Hobson". He felt and heard her gasp as she pulled slightly away from him. "I love you too" she replied before kissing him. This kiss was short and sweet, the need to see the happiness on each others faces forcing them apart. As Robbie spread his hands across Laura's back, meaning to pull her back where she belonged he felt the shiver run through her. He paused "are you cold?" When she nodded her reply, Robbie reached down, pulling the rumpled covers up from the bottom of the bed. As he tucked them around her, he started to laugh - "its true, you really are my undercover clarinet".


End file.
